Mauritius Tea Industry Produces 650 Tonnes in Just Six Months

Mauritius may be better known for its sugar cane fields and luxury resorts, but the island has a quiet and long-standing tea industry — and its latest production figures offer a snapshot of where the sector stands today. According to figures reported by Le Défi Media, Mauritius produced 650 tonnes of tea in a six-month period, underlining the continued activity of what remains one of the country's smaller but historically significant agricultural sectors. **A Brief History of Tea in Mauritius** Tea cultivation in Mauritius dates back to the colonial era. Today, the Bois Chéri Tea Estate in the south of the island — operated by the Compagnie de Bois Chéri, part of the Rogers group — is the most prominent and well-known producer. It is widely regarded as the only industrial-scale tea factory in the country and also operates as a popular tourist destination, offering factory tours and tastings. Mauritius produces several varieties of tea, including flavoured blends incorporating local ingredients such as vanilla, coconut, and rum — products that have become a staple souvenir for visitors to the island. **Production in Context** While 650 tonnes over six months may appear modest compared to major tea-producing nations such as Kenya, Sri Lanka, or India, it is a meaningful output for an island economy of Mauritius's size. Tea cultivation here is constrained by limited agricultural land, much of which remains devoted to sugar cane — itself a shrinking industry as Mauritius shifts toward services and tourism. The figures speak to a sector that has managed to carve out a niche identity rather than compete on volume, focusing instead on premium, locally flavoured products aimed at both domestic consumers and export markets. **What This Means** For consumers and investors, the tea sector in Mauritius represents a small but resilient part of the agricultural economy. It provides employment in rural southern Mauritius and contributes to agri-tourism, a growing segment that the government has sought to develop alongside mainstream tourism. For tourists, a visit to the Bois Chéri estate — set amid lush highland scenery near Mahébourg — remains one of the more distinctive experiences on the island, combining a working factory with panoramic views over the surrounding tea fields and the coastline. As Mauritius continues to diversify its economy, traditional sectors like tea serve as cultural and economic anchors, even if they operate in the shadow of larger industries. Source: Le Défi Media